Someone once gave me his perspective on life. He said, "Life is
hard, then you die." I suppose that is true, but that is certainly a negative
way to look at life. I prefer to take a more positive approach, and I hope you
do too. With all of the problems and difficulties we face in today's world, is
there someone or something that can make a difference? Well, for me that someone
is Jesus Christ. He is God's one and only Son who came to this earth to conquer
sin and to destroy death; that is exactly what He did. With His death on the
cross and resurrection from the grave, He provided a victory for us all. Yes, it
is true; Satan is active in our world. We experience his influence on a daily
basis. He is the author of sin and temptation and tragedy. It is easy to focus
on that negativity, but the book of Revelation invites us to focus on Jesus. In
the last book of the New Testament, we find John's visionary account of the
ultimate victory we have in the Lord. At times his words sound unusual and odd,
they may not make much sense in today's world, and yet the underlying meaning of
them revolves around one unmistakable truth, in the end Jesus wins. As we spend
time in Revelation I hope we will allow that one theme to dominate our study. It
is a powerful message and one that gives us unshakeable hope, even to the end of
time. I am excited to share that message and I trust you will want to hear it.
Join us now as we study together.

**LESSON

If there is one book in the Bible that receives more attention than
all of the rest, it just might be the book called "Revelation." We want to know
what will happen at the end of time and some of the events leading up to it. At
the same time, if there is one book in the Bible that we want to avoid more than
all the rest, it too might be the book called "Revelation." It is difficult to
read and understand and yet it is the most interesting and unique book in all of
God's Word. As we come to an end of our study of the New Testament, we close
today with an overview of Revelation. Written by the apostle John in the mid-90s
(AD), he offers a great deal of hope and encouragement to some fellow believers.
While the Roman Emperor Domitian was persecuting followers of Jesus Christ, John
was taken to an island called Patmos. While he was there he received a
revelation from God, and he communicates that vision, that revelation, to these
faithful followers. In the midst of all the persecution and all of the dark days
going on around them, they were encouraged by this wonderful message. Using
symbolic or apocalyptic language, which was familiar to them, John shares some
very important messages. He shares what God reveals to him and emphasizes that
God has complete control over all of this world, and that a great and final
victory will eventually come to God's people. His messages are filled with some
great spiritual truths which apply to that original audience, and yet some of
these great spiritual truths are still relevant to us today. So with those
things in mind we are to be very careful not to make a literal interpretation of
everything that is recorded in this book. And so, we might ask the question,
"What is the ultimate message of Revelation? What is the point we can take away
from it?" I want to offer this one statement at the very beginning and then we
will look at various passages which support it for the rest of our time. Even
though we do not know for sure how or when it will happen, there is coming a day
when Jesus will return to establish a new heaven and a new earth, and on that
day the last judgment will take place. The believers will have a new home with
God and those who are not believers will be cast out into a lake of fire. Now,
for 22 chapters John communicates that message in a variety of ways, and I want
us to focus on four. First of all we recognize that Revelation begins by
focusing on Almighty God. In chapters 4 and 5, God is pictured as reigning up on
His throne. He is ruling over the entire universe and He is actively involved in
that process. All of creation bows before the throne and gives praise and honor
and glory not only to God but also to His son, Jesus Christ. I want to read a
sample of that throne room worship. Notice, if you will, these verses in chapter
4 as we begin with verse 8: "'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who
was, and is, and is to come. You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory
and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were
created and have their being.'" Skip over to chapter 5 and notice verses 9 and
10, "'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were
slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and
language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests
to serve God, and they will reign on the earth.'" And then notice verses 12 and
13: "'Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and strength and honor and glory and praise!' And then I heard every creature in
heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them,
singing: 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be praise and honor
and glory and power, for ever and ever! Amen.'" Isn't that a beautiful picture?
Everything, all of creation on the earth, in the sea, and everything in them,
falls down and worships at the throne of God and also at the feet of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God. And praise and glory and honor is given to the Lord.
John also wants us to know that God's will is being accomplished on earth as it
is in heaven, and there is absolutely no one who can stop Him. In fact, His own
words are these in chapter 1 verse 8, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is, and
who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Yes, Almighty God has always been and
always will be. He is the First and the Last and there is absolutely no one and
no thing that can compare to the Lord God Almighty. Still today, we can see
God's mighty hand at work in this world and even in our own individual lives.
God takes an active interest in everything going on in the world around us; and
He knows what is going on in your life and in my life as well. No doubt that
gives us hope, knowing that even though things may not happen as we hoped they
would happen, God is still in control. God knows what is best. His will is being
accomplished because He is the Lord God Almighty, the Creator and the Sustainer
of this world. So first of all, Revelation focuses on the Lord God Almighty. The
second focus that John makes is that he presents Jesus in a highly exalted
position. Jesus is pictured as having many of the very same qualities as His
Father, and He is worthy, also, of praise and honor, as we read there in chapter
5. Jesus is referred to as the "Lamb of God" some 26 times; and through that
title He brings salvation to this world. Turn in your Bible, if you will, to
chapter 7. I want to notice verses 9 and 10 as we think about people from all
over this world receiving the salvation of the Lord and being a part of God's
family. We begin in chapter 7 and verse 15, "Therefore, they are before the
throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the
throne will spread His tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again
will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For
the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them
to the springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their
eyes." Isn't that a beautiful scene; that God is there to watch over them and to
spread His covering of protection over them. And Jesus, himself, will lead and
will guide those children. Go back if you will and look at verses 9 and 10 also,
of this 7th chapter: "After this I looked, and there before me was a great
multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and
language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing
white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a
loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to God, who sits on the throne, and to the
Lamb.'" Yes, salvation comes from the Lamb of God, who is the Son of God. And
people from every tribe and language and nation will be there around the throne
worshiping and honoring God, praising Him for the salvation that comes through
Jesus Christ. In other places Jesus is called "The Faithful and True, who rides
upon a white horse," chapter 19 verse 11; "He is the King of kings and the Lord
of lords," chapter 19 verse 16; "There is no other leader, there is no other
ruler on the face of this earth who is His equal;" Jesus is the "Bright Morning
Star;" He is the "Lion of Judah;" He is the "Root" of the tribe of David. And
all of these titles simply suggest one thing; that Jesus Christ, the Lamb of
God, is more than able to bring salvation into this world. God the Father has
identified His Son as the One who is able to do that and who is able to bring
into fellowship with Him all of those who respond to that great message, of
Jesus Christ. It is then that we can have that relationship with the Lord. It is
then that He covers us with His protection, He guides us and He blesses us in
the way that we are to go. As John the Baptist recognized Jesus, very early on
in his ministry, he said these words one day when he saw Jesus, in John 1 verse
29: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." That is one
reason why Jesus came to this earth, to take away people's sin, and He did that
throughout His ministry. And now, here at the very end of the Bible, we find
that He is still doing that, taking away people's sin and welcoming into His
fellowship, along with the Father's fellowship, all of those who have received
Him. And so the second focus here in Revelation is on the exalted position of
Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Another focus of John's message in Revelation is
on the followers of Jesus. In chapters 2 and 3, Jesus addresses seven different
churches with seven specific messages. He writes these messages to churches that
are scattered throughout Asia. He wants them to avoid false teaching and to
never forsake their God. He wants them to pay very close attention to God's Word
and to keep those commands. Let's look at an example of one of those messages
from Jesus, as He speaks these words, in the 3rd chapter, to the Church in
Philadelphia; in verses 8 through 11: "I know your deeds. See, I have placed
before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little
strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make
those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are
not, but are liars, I will make them come and fall down at your feet and
acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure
patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come up
on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold
on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown." Yes, Jesus encourages
these believers to hold fast, to anticipate that time when He will come back and
reward them with a crown. John also reassures these followers of Jesus: "There
is a time when Jesus will defeat Satan." Many times throughout Revelation he is
referred to as the "beast," and Jesus will come and He will defeat the beast and
all of those who represent him; that Jesus will ultimately destroy and defeat
Satan and he will be no more. Even though hard times and difficult days were
coming upon these early believers, they would receive a reward. Through their
patient endurance and their faithfulness they would receive a crown of
righteousness that would never be taken away; and these Christians needed to
have that reassurance. I'm reminded of the passage from the apostle Paul in 2
Timothy chapter 4, toward the end of his life he writes, "I anticipate that time
when I will receive a crown of righteousness that is laid up not only for me,
but also for all of those who long for his appearing." Yes, Paul received that
crown of righteousness because of his faithfulness, and now John encourages
these Christians to be faithful and to endure so they, too, can receive that
eternal crown. Oh, there may be times in our life when we, too, feel overwhelmed
by the enemy. We feel defeated by Satan and we long for the time when he will be
no more. We might be persecuted for our faith. We might go through some very
uncertain days. We might be tempted to fall in love with the things this world
has to offer. We might even be tempted to throw in the towel and to give up and
to quit living for the Lord. Those are just some of the reasons why the book of
Revelation is so relevant to us today. It reminds us that, yes, we live in a
fallen world. We live in a world where things are not right. And yet, through
our patient endurance and through our faithfulness as we follow in the footsteps
of Jesus, we too can know there is a crown of righteousness waiting for us. And
on that day, we will receive it and be able to receive the full fellowship of
God, forever. I want us to notice some of the other promises that we find here
in Scripture, in the book of Revelation, that are given to those faithful
followers of Jesus. Listen to these words in chapter 3 verse 21; again, they
come from Jesus himself: "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit
with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on His
throne." Chapter 22 verses 12 through 14, "My reward is with me. Blessed are
those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and
may go through the gates into the city." Think about that for just a moment, as
our robes are washed, white, pure and holy in the sight of God, we have the
opportunity to go through the gates of that eternal city and be able to enjoy
the fellowship and the glory of God for all eternity. Oh, I cannot think of
anything greater than to go through those gates and to be a part of that city,
and that fellowship, and forever be in the presence of the Lord. The book of
Revelation is filled with many such messages. It is full of encouraging words
and comforting thoughts and eternal promises. John leaves no doubt that Jesus
will reward all of those who patiently endure and who overcome the evil one.
Notice one more passage, in chapter 3 verse 5: "To him who overcomes, he is
dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life but will
acknowledge his name before my Father and His angels." Won't it be wonderful to
know that our name is written in that Book of Life and Jesus will acknowledge us
before the Father! And so thirdly, John emphasizes the faithful followers of
Jesus and the reward that is waiting for them. There is a fourth focus to
Revelation and it revolves around Jesus' second coming. Through the vision he
received, John reveals several things that will take place when the Lord
returns; and again, it revolves around His ultimate defeat of Satan. When Jesus
returns, He will defeat and finally destroy the devil, where he is no more. He
will bring an end to all persecution and death. There will be no more pain or
persecution. The wicked will be forever cast away from the presence of God and
the faithful followers of Jesus Christ will reign with Him for all eternity.
There will be no more disease or death. There will be no more sorrow or sadness.
There will be nothing out of line or amiss in this world, but everything will be
made right. Now in various ways, John describes how all of that will take place,
and he does so in the middle part of Revelation. Again, using figurative and
symbolic languages, he gives some instruction and encouragement to these
Christians so they will know, as they understand this literature, how all of
these things will come about. Through these messages, he reminds them that in
Jesus Christ they have hope, and there is coming a time when their faith will be
made "sight." There is coming a time when all of these things will come to full
fruition and they will be a reality. As we finish our study of the New Testament
and our study of Revelation I want to remind us of one great truth, and perhaps
it's the ultimate truth that we learn from Revelation; that is, the victory
belongs to the Lord. No matter what is happening in this world, God, through
Jesus Christ, overcomes; and the victory belongs to us, as well, as we are the
faithful followers of Jesus Christ. I want to close with the reading of a
beautiful passage in chapter 21; and for me, it reminds us of that final victory
of Jesus and the opportunity we have to be with Him forever. Beginning with
verse 1 of chapter 21, we find these words: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new
earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was
no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for husband. And I
heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men,
we will live with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with
them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will
be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has
passed away." What a beautiful scene. It is a challenge to summarize
Revelation's powerful message in just a few minutes, but I believe John would
have us to know this: There is coming a time when God will powerfully display
His control throughout this world. Jesus will return to establish a new heaven
and a new earth. The time of trial and persecution and death will all be over
and an eternal reign with the Creator of the Universe will begin. What does all
of that mean for us today? It means very simply this; we put our trust in Jesus
Christ, we live by faith in Him each and every day and we long for and
anticipate that time when He will come back and gather unto Himself all of His
faithful believers, to be at home with the Lord forever. That is the beautiful
message of the final book of the Bible, the book of Revelation.

**SUMMARY

The book of Revelation is a great way to end the story of the New
Testament. It's focused on Jesus gives us the hope we need to live from day to
day. No matter how difficult life seems or how powerfully Satan attacks, our
ultimate victory is found in Jesus Christ. Through John's unusual message we
find the necessary strength to rise above persecution and temptation and trial.
Even though things may look bad now, Revelation offers the assurance there is
coming an eternity of peace and justice. Here is one final thought on Revelation
I hope you will take with you, in the end, Jesus wins. You must now choose a
side, choose wisely. I know you will do that and that you will experience the
joy of such a choice.

**CONCLUSION

Thank you for joining us for today's broadcast. The message of
Revelation is one of victory and triumph. Isn't it good to know that no matter
what happens in this world, Jesus has already won the victory? This message is
available on our website. If you would like to hear it again, go to
keytothekingdom.com. Many other messages are there, as well, and they can easily
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commitment or obligation. As we have come to the end of our study of the New
Testament, you may even want to go back and review some of the previous lessons.
Hopefully they have blessed you and your own personal study of God's Word. If
you call the number on the screen and leave your name and address, we will send
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Lord. Each week at this same time we open up the Bible and study from it. I
trust the messages are relevant and that you can apply them to your daily life.
Our goal is to share lessons, along with other resources, that will assist you
in your Bible study and spiritual growth. Thank you for tuning in to today's
broadcast. I hope you will take time to watch again next week as we continue to
study the Bible on "Key to the Kingdom."